The Master’s thesis is a research project in which you will learn to conduct research independently. You can choose to conduct a 30 EC master thesis or a 45 EC master thesis. You will develop and/or apply new methods, or apply existing methods to a new problem. The research should be relevant from both a scientific perspective, expanding the body of scientific knowledge, and a societal one, producing knowledge that contributes to a better understanding of or the solution to societal problems in the area of energy. Information on procedures, entrance requirements, place of research, output, etc., you can find in the course description in the Study Guide and in the Energy Science Master’s Thesis Course Manual.

In the Natural Science track you have two separate, compulsory periods of research:

Natural Science Research Project (30 EC). In this project you will learn to conduct research independently in an energy-related natural science field. Your research should be relevant from both a scientific perspective, expanding the body of scientific knowledge, and a societal one, producing knowledge that contributes to addressing energy-related problems in society. Many groups in the Faculty of Science and the Faculty of Geosciences conduct energy-related basic and/or applied research. You will have the opportunity to take advantage of this work during your own research. You also have the option of conducting your research in another Faculty of Science in the Netherlands or abroad.

Your thesis and your research project are two different courses, with separate objectives and deliverables. This means that you have to write two reports and give two presentations. You can learn about the exact deliverables for each course in the course descriptions and in the Energy Science Master’s Thesis Course Manual.

You will find thesis topics in the Energy Science community in BlackBoard.

Your supervisor will assess your Master’s thesis using the Master’s Thesis Rubrics & Assessment Form. It makes the items the supervisor assesses and the criteria he or she uses transparent. You will receive the form when you start the Master’s thesis process. Please use it to acquaint yourself with the assessment criteria and to assess yourself during the thesis process. Your supervisor is expected to tell you early on which items he or she considers most important and the order they should take in the thesis, so you will not get any surprises later on.

After your thesis has been approved, you must upload it in Master’s Theses Online (Igitur). Other students and staff can thus benefit from your research work.

Every month students present the results of their research. You are very welcome to attend these Graduation Presentations.

Research topics

You have to attend at least ten presentations. This way you will be able to develop a broad view on all kind of current research topics, and to keep in touch with your fellow students and teachers especially in the final, sometimes rather lonely, stage of your studies. Of course you’re also most welcome to start attending them if you’re not working on your thesis yourself yet. Attending and discussing the research of students in their graduation phase, is a useful way to prepare yourself for your own thesis and it might bring you some inspiring ideas on the topics you’ll want to research yourself. You will find the schedules of the presentations on Blackboard (also the ones by staff members that are open to Master’s students).

Registration

You have to sign an attendance list, that is kept at the secretariats. Keep track of the number of presentations you have attended. You can also attend the presentations of Sustainable Development (track Energy and Materials).

Dates

The dates that are available for presenting your thesis or internship can be found on Blackboard. Please contact the secretariat if you want to reserve a time slot (after consulting your supervisor).